Dr N MullaI am a Consultant and Clinical Lead in Integrated Pain Services at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I have been working as a physician in the United Kingdom for the past 15 years and have attained specialist training in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine from various institutions including advanced pain fellowship from the world renowned Guy’s and St. Thomas’ University Hospital affiliated to King’s College London School of Medicine.
Prior to my current appointment as a Clinical Lead, I have worked as a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge and St. Georges’s University Hospital, London. I have rotated in clinical externships in hospitals across New York and Pennsylvania, USA and am also trained in General Medicine apart from Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, having qualified as a Doctor for over 20 years.
I have extensive experience in the multidisciplinary management of pain conditions. I see more than 100 patients per month in the NHS, the prevalence of chronic pain being over 40% in the UK population and known to lead to deleterious health effects resulting in the ‘burden of pain’.
My clinical approach is collaborative and holistic, based upon a bio-psycho-social model that facilitates functional independence and emotional well being that I offer in a compassionate environment to empower chronic pain sufferers. I believe in offering plenty of time to my patients during clinical and treatment sessions.
My consultation involves a comprehensive assessment and a detailed clinical examination as well as formulation of a diagnosis along with an extensive range of treatments for painful conditions where surgery is neither necessary nor preferred. I work closely with multidisciplinary specialists including but not limited to orthopaedic, spinal and other specialist surgeons, rheumatologists and neurologists apart from physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and pharmacists. This often involves discussion of patients with complex needs within a specialist team from various clinical specialties.
I have expertise in treating common conditions including but not limited to degenerative and arthritic conditions, neck and low back pain, joint pain, sciatica/lumbago, slipped spinal discs, whiplash and sports injuries. My other areas of expertise include cancer pain, headaches and facial pain, migraine, persistent post surgical pain, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, complex regional pain syndrome and pelvic pain among others.
I provide treatments in form of medication management and a wide range of interventional techniques (injection therapy) such as lumbar and cervical epidural injections, facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, sacro-iliac joint injections, hip, knee/other joint injections, nerve root blocks, trigger point injections, Botox injections, occipital nerve blocks, radio frequency lesioning and other injection therapies. I have a special expertise in ultrasound guided pain procedures and peripheral nerve stimulation. I am involved in managing inpatient cancer pain patients from within the hospital and the nearby Hospice set-ups.
I regularly present scientific papers and give lectures both nationally and internationally on various subjects apart from organising symposia and scientific workshops. I contribute to journals and medical textbooks on a regular basis. I have a special interest in teaching and training healthcare professionals including general practitioners and allied health professionals and I am a member of the training and assessments board and an examinations course organiser of the Pain Faculty at The Royal College of Anaesthetists. I am the Clinical Lead for the Integrated Pain Service at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital in charge of overseeing the functioning of the Integrated Pain Service and carrying out clinical audit and research along with quality assurance and service development within the department.
Professional memberships:
My outside interests involve spending family time with my wife who is a Palliative care Consultant and my son who is a county cricket player. I am an expert cook and an avid cricketer and traveller.
